1. No category

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dxezd zexewn
dnecw dxez - 5
ohkaurh ,racn ,kkfn
A] The Torah as preceding creation
sukhk vn 'okug ka ubucr :tuv lurc ausev hbpk ,rav hftkn urnt ournk van vkga vgac :huk ic gauvh hcr rnt
osue ,urus vgcrtu ohgcau ,utn ga, lk vzubda vzubd vsunj :uhbpk urnt /tc vru, kcek :ivk rnt ?ubhbhc vat
?!osu rack vb,hk aecn v,t 'okugv trcba
1.
:jp ,ca
r«uS ;kt!k v"Um$ r"cS" «u,hr$C! o"k«ug!k rf"
'z
2.
j:ve ohkv,
• Where does the idea of ‘974 generations’ before creation come from?
okug ,thrck vru, vnse vba ohpkt hba ahek ahr oac tbuv r"ts
3.
yh varp grumn ,arp (tbkhu) vcr trehu
• What does it mean when we say that the Torah existed ‘before’ the Creation? Did time exist ‘before Creation’?
B] Creation ‘from the Torah’
v,ut vbuc ubht 'ihykp vbuc osu rac lkn okugca dvubc /tuv lurc ausev ka u,bnut hkf h,hhv hbt :,rnut vru,v
tuv lthv ,gsk uk ah ,utxebhpu ,utr,phs tkt 'unmg ,gsn v,ut vbuc ubht inutvu 'inut ,gsn tkt unmg ,gsn
,hatrc vrnt vru,vu 'okugv ,t trucu 'vru,c yhcn tuv lurc ausev vhv lf /ihapap vaug tuv lthv 'ohrsj vaug
vru, tkt ,hatr ihtu 'ohekt trc
4.
t varp ,hatrc ,arp (tbkhu) vcr ,hatrc
tnkg tuv lhrc tasue trc t,hhrutc - [hzj t,] j",
5.
t sung v ;s vnsev - rvuz
trcu t,hhrutc kf,xt tuv lhrc tasue /tnkg kf ohhen tuv kufhcf vc ks,atu t,hhrutc vc kf,xts itn kf
tnkg ohhenu t,hhrutc vc kf,xn ab rc 'tnkg
6.
c sung txe ;s vnur, ,arp (,una) c lrf rvuz
• In what sense is the world created ‘from the Torah’?
• Does that mean that everything in the world is hinted to or contained in the Torah? In the text of the Chumash?
• What do you think about the ‘Bible Codes’ 1?
C] The Torah as God’s Names
tahse tnac khkf tks t,hhrutc vkn lk ,hks 'thv tahse tna tkf t,hhrut
7.
t sung zp ;s ur,h ,arp (,una) c lrf rvuz
1. There is no shortage of information available about the ‘Bible Codes’, both pro- and anti-. For two recent articles on the topic see
http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2012/03/27/bible-codes-response-to-a-misleading-hamodia-article/ (which contains useful links) by 3 leading talmidei chachamim
and expert mechanchim. See also Devora Levin’s article in Kol Mevaseret (!) 5771 p91
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sjt ihbgc ,unak ,uekj,n ,uch,va 'tuv lurc ausev ka uh,una vkuf vru,v kf hf ,nt ka vkce ubhshc ah sug
sckn if vru,v kfu 'wowhvkt twrc,h awtrcw iudf ,urjt ,uch,k ekj,h ,hatrc euxp hf kan lrs kg cuaj, ukhtf
tuv ihbg vzhtc c"g ka kusdv oav ihbg sunk,c uhaurhpc vnka ubhcr c,f rcfu /,una ka ivh,uhrynhdu ivhpurhm
vru,va vtrbu ///// /kuxp rxjc ut tknc ,jt ,utc uc vgya vru, rpx vz hbpnu 2yhu tchu gxhu wheuxp vakac
rapt whvu ,uch, expv hkc vpumr vch,fv v,hva vhv ubrfzva vzv ihbgc vbck at hcd kg vruja atc vcu,fv
,thre lrs kg ubhcr vank vb,bu vumnvu vru,v ihbgc ub,thre lrs kg tre,u ,unav lrs kg tre,a v,threc
/// ,unac v,thre vp kg uk rxnbu ,umnv
8.
vnsev ,hatrc i"cnr
• What different levels of the Torah text is the Ramban revealing here?
D] ‘Black Fire’ on ‘White Fire’
,kkcun at thv - vruja atc v,urj vbck at uk vb,b vank tuv lurc ausev uk i,ba vru,v - k"car oac xjbp cr
unk ,s at ubhnhn (c:dk ohrcs) ch,fs atn vbu,bu 'atn vcumj 'atc
9.
u erp ohkea ,fxn (tbkhu) hnkaurh sunk,
• What are the differences between ‘fire mixed with fire’, ‘cut from fire’ and ‘given from fire’?
E] What is the ‘Primordial Torah’
Skip source 10 for now and come back to it at the end
uhv ohngyv odu hbhxc v"grnk i,b kfva iuhf vru, rpxc vsuebv ihc,uf iht vnk h,gs lghsut hbnn ,kta (vx ;kt)
:ohngpk ohcu,fv ogy ohrtcn ohngyv od hrva auca hkc vrah vthre truev treha hsf o,ut uc,fha ohutr
10.
sukhk vn ,rav hftkn urnt /vru,v ,t kcek v"grn vkgaf v"cevk ohftknv uktaa vnc vhuk, uz l,kta vcua,
/[wuf] ohnav kg lsuv vb, rat ch,fs ubhhvu ubk vb, uk urnt tc vru, kcek tuv lurc ausev ovk rnt ubhbhc vat
usuvu ?ofk vnk vru, ?ofhbhc ah ;uthbu ?ofhbhc ah vjhmr /wufu ;tb, tk 'jmr, tk ?vc ch,f vn vru, van ovk rnt
lk ,ht htn tkt ?!uz vcua,v ohgsuh uhv tk ohftknv hfu ,uaevk ahu /.rtv kfc lna rhst vn ubhbust wv urntu
kf k"zrt ifu /tuv lurc ausev ka uh,una lrs kg ,uch, euxhp tkc ,hbjur ,rjt vthre vru,c ihrue uhv ova ?rnhnk
euxhp lrs kg ,unad ,rjt vthre vru,k aha tuv lurc ausev oghsuvu tuv lurc ausev ka uh,una vkuf vru,v
vum hf l,kta ihc, vz ,gsha rjtu /vhbhs rta kf ifu chhju ruypu r,hvu ruxhtu vrvyu vtnuyc ost hbc hbhhbgc ,uch,
,hbjur - ,uthre h,a vc uhvha hsf lrc,h u,t vbntc v,hv ratf ohngyu ,usueb tkc vru,v ,t uc,fha vkg,h ktv
,usuebv rxnu /.rtu ohna ovc utrcba ,uh,ut ;rmk ktkmc vhv gsuh urnt ifu /dhah dhavk kufha hna hsf ,hnadu
gush rcsvu /c,fca vru,k aurhp ov ohngyvu ,usuebv if c,fca vru,k aurhp thva vp kgca vru, rtaf ohngyvu
,usuebv ub,hb tk ifku ,uhfpv ,uthreu ohbua ohpurhmu vcrv ,uhgnan ovc ah ohngyu ,usueb tkc ,uh,utv hf
/vp kgca vru, rtaf vthrev ,ru, jf,a, tka hsf wvk ,uagk ,g ouan ohanujc uc,fhu ',"xc c,fhk ohngyvu
vnk ut vp kgca vru, c,fb tk vnk ohbuatrv uktaa vn iudf ,urjt ,uehpx vnf .r,k kfu, lk h,c,fa vncu
lk ihta ihntvk lk aha tkt /tuva kf znrc uznrb vru, hpud vnfu lrum ovc ihta vrutfk vtrba ohrupx ,me uc,fb
tku lrum tkk ,jt ,ut whpt vru,c lk ihtu ubjbt odhab tka ohpurhmu ,ueung ,usux vc ihta vbye vch, whpt
crg hbtu jhkm,u lhbhg sdb vz kkf shn, ohau !ohcr ucaj ratf ktgnah iuakf vpr vpc tku vthrev ,rtp,k
dnr, inhx d ekj z"csr ,"ua
• What was ‘the Torah’ before Sinai?
2. See these pesukim set out in tabular form at the end of the sheet
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from ‘The Torah as God’s Mind’, Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo, 1988
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ohjpy hba van ka ushcu ohjpy hba okugv vhvu rnta hn shc uhv kufhcf 'ohjpy vaa ifrt uhv ,ujukv vhfrc r"t
shk sh ihc ihahrpn uhv ohjpy hbau
12.
jf varp ur,h ,arp (tbkhu) vcr ,una
• What is the symbolism of the idea of God holding 2 tefachim and Moshe holding 2? What about the 2 in the middle?
• Can the finite and infinite worlds ‘touch’?
• What is the purpose of the white parchment between the letters in a Sefer Torah? Are they just space or do they actually
‘communicate’ anything? Look at the following letter. How many letters do you see?
t
F] A rationalist approach
/okgbv lrs sux kg er ,nt vzu /okugv osue vba ohpkt vnse vru,va arsf /arupn ubbhtu 'sux uk ahu 'ars lpv ars ahu
kdkdv ,gub,c ouhvu gdrv ,snu ',rcujn thv rpxnc ohnhn vbav hf rucgcu /if,h tk ugnanf ,uhvku 'if uvubhch tk ohcru
ohpkt rpxn ut 'vba ut 'ohnuh hf ;t 'ouh iht kdkd iht otu ',rpxb
13.
vru,k vnsev trzg ict
• How literally are we meant to take this idea of Torah preceding the world?
• What is Ibn Ezra’s proof that it cannot be a literal idea?
isg id 'okugv osue utrcb ohrcs vgca :urnta unf 'iuhg ygn og obhbg rtc,hu reaf ohtrba vn ovnu //// ,usdvv lt
'vagnv ;ux vcajnv ,kj, :ohnfjv urnta vnk vnus /sus ic jhanu ohkaurhu sucfv txfu ktrahu ohehsmu vru,u
'sucfv txf ovhbhcu 'ohehsmv ov vhtaubu vnfjv ;ud thva vru,v 'okugv ,thrcc vnfjv ,buf v,hv ratfu
thvu ,unuenvn vkudxv ot hf ovk hutr ihtu ',h,ntv ,s hkgc ovu vkudxvn ot hf uhvh tk ,ntc ohehsmvu
ohturc vkt unauha ihsc vhv 'isg id kt o,fhkvu o,hrjtu 'jhanv tuvu ohturcca cuajv ot hf orcjh tku 'ohkaurh
okugv osue jfc
14.
dg ,ut d rntn hrzufv rpx
• According to RYh’L , what is the meaning of the idea that the Torah ‘precedes’ the world?
• In what way is this a teleological approach? What is teleology?
G] Torah and Gan Eden
oh$Hj' v' .3g QrS5,t r«nJ$
! k ,fPv' ,! N$ v' crjv' yv'
' k ,t3 u! ohc$ r9F! v5,
' t is3g5i'dk! osEn$ i3FJ'
! Hu' os"t" v5,
" t Jr"dh! u'
15.
sf:d ,hatrc
r<" t9n! vh
" fn«! ,u! V"C oheh
$ z>
$ jN'
' k thv$ oh$Hj5.3
' g
16.
jh:d hkan
:,r«PF' v' ,«ume! h3b<! n$ o,«
" t vG>gT' vJ" e! n$ cv"
" z ohc$ r9F! o$hb'J! ,h
" G"
$ gu!
17.
jh:vf ,una
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oh$Hj' v' .3g QrS5,t r«nJ$
! k can be interpreted in two ways; either to guard the way to the tree of life, so that man
will not be able to find the way; or to guard the way to the tree of life, so that the way should not be lost to
man, and so that man should return to it someday. Indications from the words of our Sages point to the later
interpretation (Yalkut Shimoni, Bereishit 34).
The ohcurf always appear as the bearers of God’s glory
revealing itself to man, intervening in human affairs. ohcurf guard the ‘tree of life’ in the Mikdash, which is a
microcosm of Paradise, just as here they guard the way to the tree of life, so that it should not be lost to
mankind.
Rav S.R. Hirsch on Bereishit 3:24
Vr"n! J!
" kU Vs"c"
! gk! is3g5i'dc! Uvj$
3 BH'u' os"t" v5,
" t ohv«$ kt
B wv jE$
' Hu'
19.
uy:c ,hatrc
/vh,umn kf runaku vru,c sucgk tkt !ost trcb tka sg vhv kfv tkvu ?runhau vsucg lrum vn hfu - vrnaku vscgk
vc ohehzjnk thv ohhj .g wtba vru, tkt ohhj .g ihtu 'ohhjv .g lrs ,t runak rnut tuv ifu
20.
oa kusdv arsn
• What was the ‘Torah’ that Adam and Chava were learning before the Chet?
• If that Torah included specific mitzvot, did they include mitzvot of tuma and tahara relating to death - death which should not even
exist in the world unless Adam exercises his free will to eat from the Tree!?
ouv, hbp kg lauju rntba ouan vhfrc r"t ?ihbn /,unv ltkn trc iuatrv ouhn okugv ,t tuv lurc ausev trcaf
hf rntba okugk v,hnv ,t thcv tuva uc vk,b vkhkgu haac trcb ostu /,uhrc ka ovhbp lhajnv ,unv ltkn vz
xbfb yd c,f u,hck lkhk aecaf u,at ,t ardk aecna hnk ?vnus rcsv vnk - kan /,un, ,un ubnn lkft ouhc
hrv vk rnt vshn xufv kyba iuhf 'uk vdzn 'v,ata xufv ,t hk udzn vk rnt 'vk ub,hk vkhkg aecn ushc ydvu u,hck
xuf lk duznk vsh,g hbta gsuh ,hhv rcf uk vrnt 'ruap xuf hk ,dzna h,hcn htm vk rnt 'hgap vn uk vrnt 'lyhd vz
ohpkt hba osue lnkug ,trc tka sg g"acr tuv lurc ausev hbpk ost rnt lf ;t /lshc u,thcvu ydv ,c,fa ruap
vc ch,fu /vba ohpkt wc - ouh ouh ohguaga vhvtu iunt ukmt vhvtu (j hkan) ch,f lfa 'iunt lkmt vru, v,hv vba
,t hc ,uk,k ,tc tkt /lf vc c,uf ,hhv ,uhrck ,un ,be,va hkukt /kvtc ,unh hf ost vru,v ,tz (yh rcsnc)
!ost hbc kg vkhkg trub huv !!vkhkgv
21.
s inhx cahu ,arp (taru) tnujb, arsn
• Was the Chet ‘meant to happen’?
Who’s Who?
Ramban
Radvaz
Rav Shimshon R. Hirsch
R’ Nathan Lopez Cardozo
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R’ Moshe ben Nachman - 13C Spain
R’ David ben Shlomo ibn Zimra - 15C Spain/16C Egypt
19C Germany
Contemporary, Israel